According to the BJP, writer Paul Zachariah made the comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi while referring to the 2002 Gujarat riots during a memorial meeting in Palghat, Kerala.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allegedly referred to as ‘murderer’ by a Kerala writer in reference to the 2002 Gujarat riots. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat at the time.(Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

A senior functionary of the BJP’s Kerala unit has threatened popular Malayalam writer and novelist Paul Zachariah for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “murderer”.

After the Bharatiya Janata Party lodged a complaint with the police, B Gopalakrishnan told the media on Friday that if Zachariah did not apologise, then the BJP might be forced to “act”.

According to the BJP, Zachariah made the comments about Modi, while referring to the 2002 Gujarat riots, at Palghat at a memorial meeting held for popular writer OV Vijayan.

The 73-year-old Sahitya Akademi award winner is known for his criticism of religious fundamentalism. Zachariah said it was for the Kerala government to decide if he was to be given any security cover in the wake of the “threat”.